STRINGYBARK CREEK SITE

Victorian Heritage Register

Statement of Significance

What is significant?

Stringybark Creek was the location where three police officers were shot and killed by Ned Kelly on 26 October 1878. Following the deaths of the Mansfield police officers Lonigan, Scanlan and Kennedy, the Kelly Gang became the most wanted outlaws in Australia in the late 19th century. The shootings at Stringybark Creek precipitated the events of the Kelly Outbreak, which reached a climax at Glenrowan in June 1880.

The Stringybark Creek site consists of swampy ground, ferns and speargrass along Stringybark Creek, rising to a timbered woodland of gum and blackwood. The area has a rich timber harvesting and mining history, and remnant gold workings and open shafts are visible across the site. The archaeological ruins of two miner's huts are located on the west bank of the creek, between the creek and Stringybark Creek Road.

The site includes the "Kelly tree" in which the names of the three police officers were carved in the early 1930s. An iron helmet has been set into the scar of the tree, which has now been obscured by the tree's regrowth. A stone memorial with a plaque dedicated to Sergeant Michael Kennedy, Constable Michael Scanlan and Constable Thomas Lonigan was unveiled on the site on 26 October 2001.

A number of historical documents exist which provide evidence for the location of the Stringybark Creek site. The site location is shown on an 1884 surveyor's plan, marked "Scene of the Police murders by the Kelly Gang". The plan also shows a hut on the opposite (west) bank of the creek, which may correlate with the archaeological hut remains that survive. The site is depicted in a photograph taken by the police a few weeks after the shootings.

How is it significant?

The Stringybark Creek site is of historical and archaeological significance to the State of Victoria.

Why is it significant?

The Stringybark Creek site is historically significant as the place where an encounter between the Kelly Gang and the police took place which resulted in the death of three police officers, and the gang being declared outlaws. It was for the murder of Constable Thomas Lonigan at Stringybark Creek that Ned Kelly was found guilty and hanged in November 1880. Following the events at Stringybark Creek a reward of 100 pounds was posted for the capture of Ned Kelly. The reward for the capture of the gang members rose to 8000 pounds by the time of the Glenrowan siege.

Stringybark Creek is archaeologically significant for its potential to contain archaeological artefacts and deposits that relate to the police shootings.

ASSESSMENT AGAINST CRITERIA

a. Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria's cultural history

The Stringybark Creek site is important to Victoria's cultural history as the place where the events of the exchange between the Kelly Gang and the police escalated, leading to the issuing of large rewards for the capture of the bushrangers, an extensive police hunt which culminated in the dramatic siege event at Glenrowan, and the hanging of Ned Kelly in 1880 at the Old Melbourne Gaol.

b. Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria's cultural history.

N/A

c. Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria's cultural history.

The Stringybark Creek site has the potential to contain historical archaeological deposits and objects, including ballistics, that relate to the events of the shoot-out.

d. Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places or environments.

N/A

e. Importance in exhibiting particular aesthetic characteristics.

N/A

f. Importance in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement at a particular period.

N/A

g. Strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. This includes the significance of a place to Indigenous peoples as part of their continuing and developing cultural traditions.

N/A

h. Special association with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in Victoria's history.

The Stringybark Creek site is strongly associated with the members of the Kelly Gang (Ned Kelly, Dan Kelly, Joe Byrne and Steve Hart), and with the four police officers (Thomas Lonigan, Michael Scanlan, Michael Kennedy and Thomas McIntyre) who fought the bushrangers at the site.

Place ID

Location

Municipality

Heritage Listing

Victorian Heritage Register

Level of significance

Registered

Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) Number

H2205

Heritage Overlay Numbers

HO66

Extent of Registration

NOTICE OF REGISTRATION

As Executive Director for the purpose of the Heritage Act 1995, I give notice under section 46 that the Victorian Heritage Register is amended by including the Heritage Register Number 2205 in the categories described as Heritage Place and Archaeological Place.

1. All of the land marked L1 on Diagram 2205 held by the Executive Director being an area of approximately 28 hectares bounded on the west by Stringybark Creek Road and to the north by the Tatong-Tolmie Road and to the east by a bush track which runs more or less parallel to Stringybark Creek and to the south by the 800 m contour line and being part of Crown Allotment 38A, Parish of Toombullup.

VHR Registration

Heritage Act Categories

Category

STRINGYBARK CREEK SITE - History

History

Gold was discovered in the Wombat Ranges in the 1860s. In 1877 three miners worked the Stringybark Creek deposit and occupied two huts there.

Following the wounding of Constable Fitzpatrick at the Kelly house in April 1878, Ned and Dan Kelly, Steve Hart and Joe Byrne fled into the bush in the Wombat Ranges. On 25 October a party of four police officers who had been sent in pursuit of the bushrangers camped by the banks of Stringybark Creek. Itwas reported in The Argus on October 28th 1878 that "the police camped from Friday evening at Stringybark on an open space on a creek - the site of some old diggings - and they pitched the tent near the ruins of two huts". Both Constable McIntyre and Ned Kelly later make reference to the police camp being located near a "shingled hut".

During the shoot-out at Stringybark Creek, three of the four police officers were killed, and Constable McIntyre escaped on Sergeant Kennedy's horse.

Following the deaths of the police officers, the Kelly Gang became the most wanted outlaws in Australia in the late 19th century. A reward of 100 pounds was posted for the capture of Ned Kelly. The reward for the capture of the gang members rose to 8000 pounds by the time of the Glenrowan siege.

STRINGYBARK CREEK SITE - Assessment Against Criteria

ASSESSMENT AGAINST CRITERIA

a. Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria's cultural history

The Stringybark Creek site is important to Victoria's cultural history as the place where the events of the exchange between the Kelly Gang and the police escalated, leading to the issuing of large rewards for the capture of the bushrangers, an extensive police hunt which culminated in the dramatic siege event at Glenrowan, and the hanging of Ned Kelly in 1880 at the Old Melbourne Gaol.

b. Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria's cultural history.

N/A

c. Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria's cultural history.

The Stringybark Creek site has the potential to contain historical archaeological deposits and objects, including ballistics, that relate to the events of the shoot-out.

d. Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places or environments.

N/A

e. Importance in exhibiting particular aesthetic characteristics.

N/A

f. Importance in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement at a particular period.

N/A

g. Strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. This includes the significance of a place to Indigenous peoples as part of their continuing and developing cultural traditions.

N/A

h. Special association with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in Victoria's history.

The Stringybark Creek site is strongly associated with the members of the Kelly Gang (Ned Kelly, Dan Kelly, Joe Byrne and Steve Hart), and with the four police officers (Thomas Lonigan, Michael Scanlon, Michael Kennedy and Thomas McIntyre) who fought the bushrangers at the site.

STRINGYBARK CREEK SITE - Permit Exemptions

The following site maintenance works are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995,

a) Regular site maintenance provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits;

Fire Suppression Duties

The following fire suppression duties are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995,

a) Fire suppression and fire fighting duties provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits;

Weed and Vermin Control

The following weed and vermin control activities are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995,

a) Weed and vermin control activities provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits;

Landscape Maintenance

The following landscape maintenance works are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995,

a) Landscape maintenance works provided the activities do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits;

Public Safety and Security

The following public safety and security activities are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995,

a) Public safety and security activities provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground structures or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits.

Minor Works

Note: Any Minor Works that in the opinion of the Executive Director will not adversely affect the heritage significance of the place may be exempt from the permit requirements of the Heritage Act. A person proposing to undertake minor works may submit a proposal to the Executive Director. If the Executive Director is satisfied that the proposed works will not adversely affect the heritage values of the site, the applicant may not be required to obtain a heritage permit. If an applicant is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that the permits co-ordinator be contacted.

STRINGYBARK CREEK SITE - Permit Exemption Policy

The purpose of the Permit Policy is to assist when considering or making decisions regarding works to the place. It is recommended that any proposed works be discussed with an officer of Heritage Victoria prior to them being undertaken or a permit is applied for. Discussing any proposed works will assist in answering any questions the owner may have and aid any decisions regarding works to the place. It is recommended that a Conservation Management Plan is undertaken to assist with the future management of the cultural significance of the place.

The significance of the place includes the potential of the place to contain historical archaeological material. It is likely that a permit will be required for any works that may involve the disturbance of the ground or sub-surface component of the site.